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“Crews arrived to find a van containing one occupant stuck in the ford, water being approximately one metre deep.

“The male occupant was rescued from van using an inflatable rescue and the vehicle was left in the ford awaiting recovery.”

The hapless motorist is the latest in a string of drivers who have had to be rescued either by the fire service, volunteers at Leicestershire 4x4 Rescue or have managed to scramble to safety themselves, leaving their vehicles behind, after failing to heed the flood warning signs at Watery Gate.

Last month, and earlier this month, a whole host of rescues ensued including two women and their puppy, another van driver and the occupants of a horse box, both animal and human.

Recent wintry rain and snow run-off has made the ford even more impassable and unpredictable as water levels can fall and rise quite quickly.

According to the fire service spokesman this particular driver had managed to traverse the route without difficulty earlier that morning and thought he would pass through again on his return journey.